Can runway



5 a a 3 R m n S T m N N\ M E 0 mm W n v I A a Q I I f Jan. 13, 1942. R. E. J. NORDQUIST.

CAN RUNWAY Filed May 9, 1959 Patented Jaml3, 1942 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 239.414 I r can RUNWAY mm a. J. Nordquist, Maplewood, N. 1., as-

oignoe to American Can Company, New York, N. Y, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 9, 1939, Serial No. 272,705

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to can runways and the like and has particular reference to electing deformed cans moving along a runway.

In the manufacture and subsequent handlingof cans, they are usually transferred from one machine to another by way of runways. Frequently cans during such transfer become accidentally squeezed and pressed out-of-round. Occasionally a can is pressed so hard that the resulting deformation will prevent it from properly passing through a subsequent operation and will cause a jam in a machine to which it is delivered. The instant invention contemplates devices for detecting such cans while in the runway and for ejecting them beforethey can effect any damage to a machine or cause a tie-up in the can line. Y

An object therefore of the invention is the provision of a can runway mechanism which operates to eject moving deformed cans from a runway to a suitable e of so that they will be prevented from entering a subsequent operation machine.

Another object is the provision of sucha runway mechanism wherein the deformed cans are first detected and the detected cans are then ejected to a suitable place of deposit.

Another object is the provision of such a can detector and ejector mechanism wherein the cans I roll in suspension along a magnet disposed over a bottomless runway section where the out-ofround cans are ejected and discharged after the detection oi their deformed condition.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken subjected to the action of detecting elements D which set in motion an electric time delay instrumentality associated with ejecting elements E. Such ejecting elements operate in proper time to throw out the. deformed cans. The ejected cans fall into a discharge hopper F which directs them to. any suitable place of deposit.

The inclined runway A includes a bottom or, can supporting plate li (Fig.1) along which the cans roll and a top channel plate or guide rail l2 having side flanges ii for guiding the rolling cans along a predetermined path of travel.

The can entrance end of the runway. 1. e., that end which is connected to the'washing machine B is formed with a built-up top wall section i5 (see also Figs. 2 and 3) which includes a pair-of magnets and can guide rails is, which extend down below the magnets, are secured to the outin connection with the accom drawing,

discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing: Figure l is a side elevation of a runway mechanism embodying the instant invention, the view also schematically indicating a machine to which the runway mechanism is connected, with parts broken away;

s. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views talren.

substantially along the lines 2-! and H in Pig.

l; and

4 is a wiring diagram of the electric apparatus used in the As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing illustrates an inclined can runway A the higher end of which preferably leads from some form of machine such for example, a can washing machine 8 for washing empty cans C prior to 980m wlthioodstuflsln a shown in Figs. 2 and 3 while the ends of the cans longitudinal and inclined permanent barmagnets l6 arranged on edge and held inspaced relation by a horizontal spacerplate ll. Narrow spacer blocks i8 are bolted to the. outer surfaces of the er surfaces of the spacer block. There is no bottom in this section of the runway.

Hence as cans C enter the runway from the washing machine B they are attracted to and held against the inclined permanent bar magnets 5 as they roll in suspension along the magnets and down the incline. The body portion of the cans preferably engage the magnet bars as pass inside of the guide rails l9. The can bottom seam at one end of a can and the flange at the opposite end thus move along in clearance located adjacent the can entrance end of the runway and in spaced relation to the bar mag-- nets I. This detector includes a narrow endless belt 25 locatedbelow the outer magnet adjacent the bottom or seamed end of a passing'can C. The belt takes over a pair of spaced and grooved pulleys 2 mounted on short shafts 21 carried for moving the belt in time with a cam rolling grooves 2| formed bythe'narrow spacer blocks it between the magnets and the guide rails. The detector section D'of the mechanism is along the magnets. For this purpose there is provided a sprocket 35 on one of the pulley shafts 21 and this sprocket is driven by an endless chain 35 which takes over the sprocket and also opcrates with a driving sprocket 31 of the can washer B. The belt 25 helps to guide greatly outof-round cans since these cans will necessarily wabble considerably as they roll along the magnets.

It will be understood that a deformed can is usually only out-of-round at the flanged or open end of the can since this end is the weakest part of the can. It is obvious that the end closure seamed onto the bottom'of the can so strengthens that end that it will hold its shape and roll true while the out-of-round flanged end of the can will wabble along the magnet.

To detect this distortion of the out-of-round can mouth, a detector bar 4| is disposed adjacent the belt 25 and is located under the path of travel of the cans adjacent the open end. The ends of the detector bar are retained in slotted guide lugs 42 formed on the legs 32 of the brackets 33. The detector bar is yieldably mounted on a pair of spaced coiled compression springs 44 which surround vertically disposed stems 45 of a pairof normally open electric switches 46 carried on a connecting part 41 of the brackets 33. There is one of these switches at each end of the detector bar.

' ous parts of the mechanism to return to normal. 4

A normally round can rolls along the magnets I I 5 without touching the detector bar. Converse- 1y an out-oi-round can, as it wabbles along the circuits sets in motion a time delay instrumentality associated with the ejector section E of the mechanism sothat such a deformed and detected can will be ejected from the runway when it reaches the elector elements. I

The ejector elements E are disposed adjacent the detector elements D and include an elongated compressed air nozzle 5| (Figs. 1 and 3) disposed nets and discharges it from the runway, there being no bottom in this section of the runway.

The discharged can falls into the hopper F which is located below this section of the runway by a chute GI which leads from the bottom 01! the hopper. In the chute there is located an arm E2 which is connected with a normally closed circuit breaking switch 63. The falling can trips this arm and momentarily opens the switch and thereby breaks the circuit and permits the vari- Reference should now be had to the wiring diagram in Fig. 4. In this diagram one terminal of each of the normally open detector switches 46 is connected into a lead wire IOI which connects with a source of electric energy such as a generator, indicated by the numeral I02. The generator is also connected by a lead wire I03 to one end of the coil of a relay solenoid I04. The opposite end of the solenoid coil is connected by a wire I05 to the terminals of switches 48 opposite to terminals in the wire IOI. Hence when one or both of the detector switches are momentarily closed a relay circuit is established which energizes the relay solenoid I04.

Energizing of the relay solenoid I04 closes a pair of normally open relay switches I01, I05. Closing of relay switch I01 establishes a holding circuit which includes the circuit breaking switch 63 and which maintains the relay solenoid energized so that the switches I01, I08 will remain closed when the detector switches 46 reopen. Establishment of this holding circuit permits electric energy from the generator I02 to flow along the lead wire I 0|, 9. connecting wire II I, switch 63, a connecting wire H2, relay switch I01, a wire II3, wire I05, relay solenoid I04, and returning to the generator along lead wire I03. Hence the relay solenoid remains energized.

The simultaneous closing of relay switch I00 establishes an air valve circuit which includes the-air-valve solenoid 51. This circuit diverts a portion of the energy flowing through the relay switch I01 and shunts it through the air valve solenoid 51 to energize it. This opens the valve as hereinbefore mentioned. The shunted energy passes from the wires II3,'I05 along'a wire II5 which connects with the switch I00 through the adjacent the path of travel of the cans along valve closing position by a compression spring 58 disposed within the solenoid.

when the time delay instrumentality is brought into play by the detection of an out-of-round can, it energizes the solenoid 51 and thereby draws the core into a centralized position.

This movement of the core raises the valve stem.

55 and thereby opens the valve 52. A blast of air from the supply pipe 54 is thereby permitted to the magnets IS. The nozzle is located so that issue 1mm the nozzle 5I and when the out-ofround side of the detected can comes in line with the nozzle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3,

closed switch I01, a connecting wire Hi, the coil winding of the air valve solenoid 51, a wire H1, and returns to the generator along the return lead wire I03.

When the circuit breaking switch 83 is momentarily opened by an ejected can falling through the chute GI (Fig. 1), the holding circuit and the air valve circuit are both simultaneously broken and hence both solenoids, I04, 51 are deenergized. Deenergizing of the relay solenoid I04 opens the relay switches I01, I08 and this prevents immediate reestablishment of the circuits. Deenergizing of the air valve solenoid 51 permits the solenoid spring 58 (Fig. 3)

to close the air valve 52 and hence cut oil the blast of air. The circuits are thus made ready for their reestablishment when the next out-ofround can is detected.

v It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advanadjacent said runway for ejecting detected cans from the latter, and time delay electric instrumentalities connecting with and operable by said path of travel of said deformed cans for ejecting the same through the open section of said runway, means responsive to and operable by said detector elements for actuating the ejector ele-. ments, and means for moving said cans past said detector elements.

suspended position while the same are passing through the open section oi the runway, a yieldable detector bar disposed adjacent the path of travel of the cans along the runway and adapted to be engaged by out-of-round cans. an electric switch disposed adjacenteach end of said detector bar, one or both of said switches being operated by the yielding of the detector bar when the latter is engaged byan out-of-round can section; stationary ejector elements disposed electric switches for actuating jthe ejector elements. V

7. In a can testing runway having a closed I section and an open section, the combination of 2. In a runway for the passage of cans, he

combination of a magnetic track along which the cans travel, and an air nozzle located outside the path of cylindrical cans passing .along the track but within the path of a non-cylindrical portion of a passing defective can through which nozzle an air blastis projected to dislodge said defective can from the track and out of the run way. I 3. In a runway for the passage of cans, the combination of means for suspending the cans while passing in said runway and while they magnetic means for holding the cans in suspended position while the same are passing through the open section of the runway, detector ele ments for detecting cans which are out-of-round, a stationary air ejector nozzle disposed adjacent the path of travel of the cans along the open sec-' tion of said runway, a compressed air valve connecting with said nozzle, and means, operable by said detector elements for actuating said air I -valve when an out-of-round'can is detected and to thereby direct a blast of compressed air from 4 the nozzle against the can to eject it through are traversing a bottomless section of the runway, and an air nozzlelocated below the path f of normal cylindrical cans passing'over thebot tom-less section of said runway but within the path of a non-cylindrical portion of a passing abnormal can through which nozzle an air blast is projected to force said abnormal can away from its suspended means and out of said runway.

4. In a can testing runway having a closed section and an adjacent section open at its hotsaid open section of the runway.

8. In arunw'ay for testing cans for roundness and having a closed'section and an adjacent detecting section open at its bottom, the combination of magnetic means for holding the cansln suspended position while the same are passing through the open section of the runway, detector elements for detecting cans which are out of tom, the combination of 'magnetic means for holding the cans in suspended position while the same are passing through the open section of the runway, the combination of detector ele-v ments disposed adjacent said open section for detecting cans which are deformed out of round, ejector elements located beneath the path of normal cans, passing .throughthe runway but adjacent the path. of deformed cans passing therethrough, and electric time delay devices operable by said detector elements when so engaged for actuating said ejector elements to eject the detected deformed cans through the open bottom of said runway at a point remote from said detector elements. V

5. In a can testing runway for round cans having a closed section and an adjacent section open round, a stationary air ejector nozzle disposed adjacent the path of travel of the cans along the runway and spaced longitudinally, therealong from said detector elements, a, solenoid operated compressed air valve connecting with saidnozzle,

.and'time delay electric means operable by said detector elements and connecting with said solenoid operated valve for actuating the valve when an out-of-roun'd can is detected andto thereby direct a blast of compressed air from the nozzle against the detected defective can to eject it from the runway at a point remote from said detector elements. 7

9. In a runway for testing. round cans and in eluding a closed section and a detecting section at its bottom,- the combination of magnetic means 7 for holding the cans in suspended position while the same arepassing through said open section of the runway, a detector bar disposed adjacent the path of travel of the cans along the runway and adapted to be engaged by out-of-round cans,

- stationary ejector elements disposed adjacent said runway and spaced from said detector bar for ejecting detected cans from the runwaygand electric instrumentalities connecting the ejector elements with the detector bar for actuating said ejector elements to discharge from said runway an out-of round can at the expiration of a ,time interval after said defective can is detected.

6. In a runway for testing cans for roundness and having a closed section and an adjacent detecting section open at its bottom, the combination of magnetic means'for holding the cans in open at its bottom, the combination of magnetic means for holding the cans in suspended position while the same are passing through the open section of the runway, a movable detector bar disposed adjacent the path or travel of the cans along the runway and adapted to be engaged and traversed by out-o'f-round cans, stationary ejector elements disposed adjacent said runway for ejecting detected cans from the runway, electric instrumentalities connecting the ejector elements with thedetector bar for actuating said ejector elements when a defective 'out-of-round can is detected to eject the same through the said open section of the runway, a chute disposed adjacent the ejector elements and said open runway section for directing anejected can to a suitable place of deposit, and electric devices disposedin the chute and connecting with said electric instrmnentalities for resetting the ejector elements for a subsequent ejecting operation.

10. In a can testing runway for round cans,

the combination of a bottomlss runway section,

bar magnets in an inclined ceiling of said runway section for attracting cans thereto while permitting them to roll along the runway in suspension, detector elements constituting a portion of the bottom of said runway section for engaging and detecting out-of-round cans rolling along the magnets and over said detector ele- V fluid under pressure to said ejector elements to impinge upon and eject from the runway said detected deformed cans.

11. In a can testing runway for round cans, the combination of a bottomless runway section, bar magnets in an inclined ceiling of said runway section for attracting cans thereto while permitting them to roll along the runway in suspension, means adjacent one end of the rolling cans for holding them against the magnets, detector elements constituting a portion of the bottom of said runway section for detecting out-of-round cans rolling along the magnets and over said detector elements, bodily stationary ejectorelements also disposed adjacent the runway section, and means operable by said detector elements for admitting fluid under pressure to said ejector elements for detaching detected cans from the magnets to thereby eject them from the runway.

12. In a can testing runway for testing cans for roundness, the combination of a bottomless runway section, a pair of spaced and longitudinal bar magnets in an inclined ceiling of said runway section for attracting cans thereto while permitting them to roll along the runway in suspension, guides for maintaining the rolling cans in alignment with the magnets an endless belt arranged adjacent one 01 the magnets for holding one end oi the rolling cans against the magnets, detector elements conatituting a portion of the bottom of said runway section for detecting out-oI-round cans rolling along the magnets and over said detector elements, bodily stationary ejector elements also disposed adjacent the runway section, and means operable by said detector elements for admitting fluid under pressure to said ejector elements for detaching detected cans from the magnets to thereby eject them from the runway.

13. In a can runwayi'or testing sheet metal cans ior roundness, the combination of a bottomless runway section, a pair oi spaced and longitudinal bar magnets in an inclined ceiling of said runway section for attracting cans thereto while permitting them to roll along the runway in suspension, guidesjor maintaining the rolling cans in alignment with the magnets, an endless belt arranged adjacent one of the ma nets for holding one end of the rolling cans against the magnets, actuating devices for propelling the belt in time with the cans roiling along the runway, detector elements constituting a portion of the bottom of said runway section for detecting out-of-round cans rolling along the magnets and over said detector elements, bodily stationary ejector elements also disposed adjacent the runway section, and means operable by said detector elements for admitting fluid under pressure to said ejector elements for detaching detected cans from the magnets and thereby eject them from the runway.

RONALD E. J. NORDQUIST. 

